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Colors, Scents, Contours, and Contrasts: Designing an Herb Garden
by Gwen Barclay and Madalene Hill
Herb Garden History
Mention herbs and many people think of medieval monastery gardens. In most of these gardens monks planted neat, individual beds of small vegetables and fruits, always making sure to include medicinal herbs, so important to them in their healing arts. The early monastic herb garden design probably served as the basis for the classic potager of Europe, and especially France, a utilitarian garden of vegetables and kitchen herbs. Its name is derived from potage, the French word for thick soup, a primary food in the Middle Ages. The monks' approach is well suited to a collection of herbs today, provided you have enough space for individual beds devoted to a solid planting of a single herb.
By tucking culinary herbs and edible flowers in among the chards, carrots,
and squashes, gardeners with small plots can create a lush and fragrant
landscape.
Photo: David Cavagnaro
But it is the traditional four-square design, favored for cloistered gardens at large churches, that has become the standard for modern herb gardens. Sometimes called the four-quarter or quadripartite motif, its origin is shrouded in the dim mists of antiquity. This simple ancient design has long been imbued with the rich religious and literary symbolism of the number four. The four beds originally represented the four rivers of paradise as described in the bible and later came to symbolize the four elements—fire, water, air, and earth. The Botanical Garden at the University of Padua, Italy (1543) uses the motif in a circular form.
Following European explorations in the 16th and 17th centuries, the four beds came to represent the four continents known at the time—Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe.
The basic quadripartite geometric configuration, interpreted as squares, rectangles, circles, or triangles, with the center often marked by a pool or water fountain, has remained popular throughout garden history because it is pleasing to the eye, easy to maintain, and readily adapted to garden spaces of any size.
But gardeners in the new millennium needn't be bound by tradition. In many gardens today, culinary herbs and colorful, edible flowers are arranged artistically in the vegetable garden among the carrots, beans, and tomatoes. The popular cottage garden design enables people with small lots to create a lush, informal landscape that's perfect for the soft colors and textures of herbs—with the heavenly fragrance thrown in as a bonus. You can also tuck herbs in among the shrubs and flowering plants in Border beds or grow them alongside a walkway or even the garage wall.
Plan Ahead
It is always wise to begin garden planning with an accurate drawing of the site, especially if you envision much actual construction. Drawing a picture of all the available space may help you arrive at unexpected design solutions. Take into account the architecture of the house, existing trees and shrubs, and the topography of the site. Consider the available sunlight and air circulation. Ideally, you want to incorporate a structure that can help frame or enclose the garden, such as a garage, summerhouse, greenhouse, or barn. Divide large spaces into smaller sections and add pathways to provide access for maintenance and harvesting. Finally, be sure the garden is located where you can enjoy it as much as possible in each season of the year.
Madalene Hill and her daughter, Gwen Barclay, wrote Southern Herb Growing, (Shearer Publishing) and their work has appeared in The Houston Post's Houston at Home magazine, The Herb Companion, The Herb Quarterly, Neil Sperry's Gardens, Texas Gardener, and several other publications. Madalene Hill is past president of The Herb Society of America. Gwen Barclay chaired both the Society's South Texas and Pioneer units. Together they were instrumental in the formation of the Texas Herb Growers & Marketers Association; Gwen served as its organizational chairman and first president for three years, and is now director of food service for the Festival Institute in Round Top, Texas.